Three Little Angels
by LadyFern
Summary: The three small children of a dying woman are dumped in the Seven's lap, giving them quite the run-around. ***ON HOLD UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE***
1. Chapter 1

The stagecoach rumbled into Four Corners, pulling to a stop and sending up a cloud of dust. A woman stepped out and surveyed the town. Buck was there in an instant.

"Mornin' ma'am. Might I be of some service?" He tipped his hat and grinned.

The woman turned and gave a tired smile.

"Why, that would be very kind of you." She reached into the stagecoach, pulled out a bundle and plopped it in Buck's arms. "Be careful with him now, he's can be a bit fussy."

Buck stared down into the wide blue eyes of a baby. He scrambled to think of some excuse.

"Ma'am, I...um..."

"It's so sweet of you to lend a helping hand to a tired mother like me Mr...oh dear. I've completely forgotten my manners. I'm Lara Sweeney and these," two more small children tumbled out of the stagecoach, "are my children. The one you are holding is Henry and these two are Robert and Jemima."

Jemima smiled and shyly slid behind her mother's skirts. Robert, clearly the oldest, studied Buck sullenly.

"And you are?" Lara asked.

"Uh, Buck Wilmington ma'am, I..." the baby in his arms suddenly set up a blood curdling scream. Lara gave a tired sigh, turned back to the stagecoach, checking to see if all her children were close by when she caught sight of the blond man walking across the street.

"Vin?"

Vin stopped, stared at the woman, then greeted her warmly. "Years have treated you kindly, looks like."

She laughed softly. "I swear you've grown since I last saw you."

Vin smiled then suddenly noticed the children waiting. "Yours?"

Lara nodded proudly.

"All of them?"

"Every single blessed one," she stroked Jemima's golden curls then fell silent. Vin studied her face for a moment then began picking up the luggage surrounding the small family.

"Stayin' long?"

"Just passing through I'm afraid. I'm on my way to visit my mother in San Fransisco. She doesn't even know about Henry," she gestured to the wailing baby in Buck's arms. Buck gave Vin a panicked look but Vin just shrugged.

"And what about your husband? When will he be comin' along?" Vin asked.

Lara hesitated before answering. "He's dead Vin. Killed by his own stupidity." Vin wanted to ask questions, so many questions, but he held his tongue.

"Sorry to hear it," he whispered.

"It's not your fault Vin Tanner," Lara laughed. "Don't look so down."

"Sorry you've been left to care for three children all on your own."

"Well, that's what life gives a body I suppose. No use fussing about it." Suddenly, she touched her forehead, and frowned. Vin pulled up short, concerned.

"You alright?"

She waved him off. "Yes, just a headache. Too much traveling for one day." She straightened, started forward, wobbled, then collapsed in a heap.


	2. Chapter 2

Vin dropped the luggage and gently picked up Lara, carrying her to the hotel leaving Buck with the children. Robert glowered up at Buck.

"Don't you be lookin' at my mama that way mister," he grumbled.

Buck turned a startled look on Robert. "Now, son, I haven't the slightest idea what you're talkin' 'bout."

"Liar!" Robert gave Buck a swift kick in the shin then scampered off as Buck howled, nearly uttering colorful obscenities when he glanced down and caught sight of Jemima sidling up along side him, looking at him sideways with big blue eyes.

"Mr. Buck," she whispered, "don't you be mindin' him. He's just sore and don't know how kind you've been to us." She paused then looked away. "Mr. Buck," she continued, "I'm scared. What's gonna happen to my mama?" She gazed up at Buck through her long lashes.

Buck kneeled down to look in Jemima's face. "Nothin's gonna happen, she's just tuckered out is all." He gave her a soft chuck on the chin. "So cheer up. Don't wanna see no hound dog look on your pretty lil' face."

Jemima smiled shyly. "Can I stay with you Mr. Buck?" She laid her small hand on top of Buck's large hand and batted her eyelashes. Buck gave a hearty laugh then took Jemima's small soft hand in his massive calloused one.

"Let's go find where your brother's got to," he said.

"Oh no, Mr. Buck, please," Jemima replied hurriedly. "He'll come back when he wants to, there's no finding him 'fore he wants to be found. I..." she hesitated, thought a moment, then added, "I'd like to see the horses at the stables. Would you take me there Mr. Buck so I don't get lost?" She fluttered her lashes again, eyes wide pools of pure blue.

"Well of course little lady," Buck grinned.

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Nathan had taken a full, agonizing hour to tend to Lara before letting Vin in to sit with her.

"You should know...it doesn't look good. She's coughin' up blood real bad," Nathan said, resting a hand on Vin's shoulder. Vin nodded silently, never taking his eyes off of Lara's sleeping face. Nathan slipped out the door, shutting it quietly behind him.

Lara's eyelids fluttered open and fell on Vin's pensive face. "Vin," she whispered, a faint smile playing across her tired features. She slowly raised a frail, pale hand and rested it on his cheek. "Don't worry for me Vincent, it's alright. How are my children?"

"They're fine and in good hands," he replied.

Lara gave a soft sigh, closing her eyes for a moment, then focused on Vin again. "I have a favor to ask of you," she said.

"Anything," he answered without hesitation.

Her gentle laugh dissolved into racking coughs that shook her fragile frame. Vin placed a hand on her back, waiting several agonizing seconds until the coughing passed, then eased her back onto her pillows. She gazed up at him. "So quick to come to my aid, Vin Tanner. Maybe you'll reconsider once you hear what I ask of you."

"I doubt it."

Lara suddenly turned serious. "I need you to look after my children for me, when I'm gone."

Vin shook his head, hurriedly putting his hand over hers. "That won't happen so don't you worry 'bout it. You'll get to watch 'em grow up just fine."

"No Vin, you and I both know that isn't the way of things now. I'm dying."

Vin squeezed his eyes shut and dipped his head, shielding his face from Lara by the brim of his hat. Lara continued.

"I haven't been entirely truthful with you Vin. Shelton, my husband...he's not dead really, only to me and my children. He left us, saying I was ungrateful and too much of a burden. Only a few months after he left us, I got sick, very sick and I never got well. For a while, it didn't bother me and I thought, perhaps, that nothing would change and I really could take care of my children but lately, I've only been getting worse and I know I won't be around much longer." She paused as a single tear slid down her cheek. She took a deep, shuddering breath to steady her voice before continuing. "I was going to take the children to my mother, live out my last days there, in peace, but now...well, I suppose that's not to be. Will you take them for me?"

"Of course Lara. Wouldn't ever have to ask and you know it," he brushed away her tears softly. She rested her hand on his for a moment, her eyes heavy with exhaustion.

"Oh Vin," she breathed. "I was a fool to choose Shelton over you. It was such a big mistake, I've paid dearly for it and I'm so, so sorry." Her voice broke off in quiet sobs.

Vin hushed her, smoothing back a stray strand of hair from her face. "Don't you worry, just rest now."

Vin stayed with her, quietly stroking her hair, studying her pale face, until she fell asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Henry let out a wail, his face turning a deep red as he used his full lung capacity to communicate his discomfort. Buck desperately bounced the baby and walked back and forth. He had tried everything, tickling, peek-a-boo, food, but Henry continued screaming.

Jemima swayed on her feet from exhaustion. She had visited all the horses in the stables, twice, and insisted on finding perfect, elaborate, fanciful names and making up stories for each one. She contentedly fed them tiny fistfulls of hay until the sun went down and dinner had long since passed. Buck scooped up the small girl in one arm and almost immediately, her head lolled onto his chest as she fell into blissful sleep. Buck marveled at the child's ability to tune out her brother, even bordered on jealousy. Buck could feel his sanity slipping away very, very fast if he didn't find someone who could soothe the poor child. Vin ought to be just the person, especially since he had dumped the children in his lap with no warning. He made his way to Lara's room and peeked in. Vin lay slumped in a chair next to Lara's bed. A twinge of pity caused Buck to shut the door and slip away as quietly as possibly. Let Vin rest, he'd been through enough as it was. Buck headed for his second option with a grin. He pushed open the saloon doors and found Chris, Ezra, Josiah and JD concentrating on a game of poker. Henry took a deep breath and let out a blood curdling shriek at the offensive noise and smoke that assaulted his delicate senses. The entire saloon cringed.

"Chris, ya gotta help me out," Buck nearly had to shout to be heard over Henry's cries. Ezra winced and tried to shoo him away.

"Mr. Wilmington, please. You are disrupting our formerly peaceful game here. Do you mind?"

Buck ignored him and gave Chris a pleading look. Chris leaned back as if to get as far away as possible from the screaming child. "Vin left them in your care."

"It was kind of a bad decision on his part, wouldn't you say? I don't know what to do! He's been crying like this all day."

"He's gotta tucker out some time," JD piped up.

"You'd think!" Buck said, thoroughly desperate now as Henry wriggled and squirmed. "But he won't. This child is the most stubborn willed creature I have ever met; he just doesn't stop. And on top of everything, I can't find the other boy."

Chris shot Buck a sharp look. "What other boy?"

"Robert, I think his name was. He ran off when they first got here and I haven't seen him since."

Chris pushed his chair back from the table. "Best we find him then. It'll be too cold out there for him tonight." JD and Josiah rose willingly, eager to abandon their vast losing streak. Ezra turned in his winning hand with a reluctant pout but he dared not complain. Chris clapped Buck on the shoulder as he passed.

"The child needs to be changed, that's why he's so fussy."

Buck's jaw dropped open slightly and his eyes bugged. "I don't know how to do that." He squeaked.

"Guess you'll learn real quick," Chris grinned.

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Buck felt about ready to be sick all over the place. He swallowed hard and took a deep breath to calm the nausea.

"How can such a small creature make such a disgusting mess?" He muttered.

Henry was nearly falling asleep half way through. Buck sucked in a big gasp of fresh air before continuing. He tried not to look as he delicately picked up the bundle with two fingers and lobbed the loaded diaper into a waste pail on the far side of the room. He was nearly finished, the only thing remaining was to button the child up and put him to bed. But the button's were far more complicated then they appeared, particularly for an exhausted man like himself. He quickly gave up and simply wrapped the child in a blanket and tucked him into bed next to Jemima. He stuffed more pillows and blankets around the sleeping children to protect them from rolling off the bed and injuring themselves.

He flopped into a chair and let out a sigh of relief. Sweet dreams never sounded so good than they did at that very moment. A faint sniffle pulled him from his anticipated bliss. Jemima lay curled on her side, her back to him, whimpering.

"Hey, hey," he said, kneeling next to the bed, and peering into her big, wet eyes. He stroked her curls back, damp with tears. "What's all this about?"

"I'm scared," she whispered. "Papa left us, will Mama leave us now too?"

"No, sweetheart, she won't do that. She's just..." he trailed off, unsure of what to tell her. The truth would be the best, he thought. "Your mama's sick, that's all. She needs rest and she'll be just fine."

The little girl's face brightened slightly. "Could I bring her some flowers tomorrow? She always loves flowers."

Buck grinned and kissed her on the forehead. "She'd love that."

Jemima snuggled her face into the pillow and fell asleep with a peaceful smile on her soft features.


End file.
